“To accommodate or condone the current situation, we can not accept – we need to ensure the rule of law and freedom of navigation”, he said via a translator.
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China’s tactic of distabilizing could hurt the unity of the member countries of ASEAN, which have declared they will launch an ASEAN Economic Community toward year-end.
“Come 2017, our two governments have agreed to raise this total to US$160 billion”, he said.
On Tuesday, Obama announced more than $250 million in maritime aid to the United States’ Southeast Asian allies, including two warships for the Philippines.
The islands are located a few 135 kilometers (80 miles) southeast of the Philippine island of Palawan.
Founded in 1967, ASEAN consists of the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam.
“There are over 100,000 ships from countries around the world sailing safely and freely through the South China Sea every year”, said Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Hua Chunying, “They don’t run into any problems at all”.
Chinese state media hit what it described as U.S. meddling over the sea.
China proposes five-point plan to try to promote stability in South China SeaWhile in Malaysia for the ASEAN meetings, China’s Premier Li Keqiang unveiled a five-point plan to calm tensions in the South China Sea.CCTV America’s Jessica Stone reports.
“As the islands and reefs are far from China’s mainland it is necessary to maintain and build necessary military facilities”, Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin said at a briefing in Kuala Lumpur after an Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit.
India, which is becoming concerned about China’s presence in the Indian Ocean, also raised the issue in its summit with ASEAN representatives as well as in bilateral talks with Japan, in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed Japanese participation in U.S.-India naval exercises. The miniature man-made islands, that China has built in the sea includes airstrips, military capability and small ports.
“That is why we welcome now with very open arms this agreement pending in our Supreme Court”, Mr. Aquino said. “A significant proportion of our discussion today was devoted to enhancing that defense cooperation”.
Still, both leaders said the disputes should be resolved peacefully. The Pentagon claimed the “routine mission” was in accordance with worldwide treaties.
“China firmly upholds the defense policy that is defensive in nature and opposes actions of militarization taken by any country in the South China Sea that are detrimental to security, stability and mutual trust”, Hong said.
China’s land reclamation is among the activities that the Philippines is questioning before an arbitral tribunal based at The Hague.
“One should never link the military facilities with efforts to militarize the South China Sea”, Liu said.
China has denied allegations that it is militarizing the South China Sea and has insisted that it needs to expand the military facilities in the disputed area to protect itself and its reefs.
But he did call on Pacific nations to “resolve our differences through dialogue and consultation”.
Liu said Beijing’s reclamation efforts in the sea ended in June, but construction of facilities is continuing.
China strongly objected to the use of the word “demilitarization”. That has prompted concerns in Washington and across the region that Beijing is trying to militarize its claims in the South China Sea.
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Obama sealed an ASEAN-US strategic partnership, of which “maritime cooperation” was a key element.
